From the trip to see Kristy and Nick in Washington, on the way back in the pouring rain i shot this image from the bank of the Lochse River at full flow for the year……quite a thrill for me!

Yup…..got the big boy out of the closet for this one….my favorite lens to use …..by far, it means I'm am sitting next to the action! Hand held the kayakers flow thru the rapid at quite predictable locations, if not then its a carnage image. A snow melt river filled to capacity this guy is about 200 yards away and is clipping along at ten knots. Its dark here… the canyon walls are near vertical here at the rivers restriction and the cloud deck is a mere fifty feet above. The road meanders beside the river up to Lolo Pass and trailhead…one of my favorite roads of America, its a road all Americans at least once in their lifetime should travel, any time of the year.

So your last question you asked me on Facebook you did not give me a chance to answer before you de-friended me….gotta love that, the old equivalent of hanging up on someone, so here is the answer, one you can visit as you see fit…always here for you.

You have made it quite apparent to me that i have failed at the overall objective for sure. I had you so you could take care of me when i am weary cold lonely and aged, so when my tired body gives up and needs help those who i raised and cared for when they couldn't take care of themselves would care for me.That our life experiences, friendship, trust, and faith in each other would cause you to care for others and your elders in need…….i guess you didn't see the care and attention i gave while others were to busy or important to care for the aged and dying around us. Did i spare you the pain, or were you to scared to watch my pain of those who have left before us…..for now i'm the elder, my elders all gone.

Thinking someone is going to take care of you other than you is self defeating…."he helps those who help themselves."

Thinking I should all of my life wouldn't make yours better, only worse.

The one who takes care of you is the one in the mirror….at some point you have to face that fact.

Your question has many answers so check back often as I'm sure through the many years ahead i will add to this my Birthday post, thanks for not calling me on my Birthday too…..logically i can dismiss that because my parents, gone, are who i have to thank…..someday you will know the feeling of not being able to say "thank you", and "i love you"…….someday when its not about you.

Coast to coast and at 12,000 feet you sat across the seat ever searching for life's greatest scenes…..wish you could have seen one in me.

Looking west from mile post ten this image spans a couple of miles. The train has crested the highest obstacle in Nebraska and is downhill through Omaha Nebraska. First bridge is 96th Street the second 108th and the third I-80.

In Omaha the automobile either goes over or under the tracks, there are no vehicle crossings on the main lines.

Omaha is the Railroad Capital of America.

So if you look at my last post i called Foggy Five you see the whole hill. These coal trains typically have a single locomotive pusher on the end.

Out with fellow Omaha Camera Club member Rorry D we are out at mile point ten….also known as the picnic table, it is a spot close to home. We shoot here a lot because this is the final hill to the Missouri river. The bridge there is 72nd street or Seymore…the engine is just about to cross the 84th street tressel.

This view is looking eastbound….this is a commodity train, a jumbled assortment of loaded cars bound for your town.

We had the green for some time…..green….yellow and red. About as good fall foliage as we get here too.

At the stadium the day UCLA beat Nebraska.... in the Northwest corner next to where the team comes out.

Submitted this into the Omaha World Herald Photo Contest....voted #1 fan favorite in the Children Category, it will appear with 18 other category winners. Over one million votes on 12,000 images collected.... the 19 images will be featured in the book FOCUS ON NEBRASKA, HUSKER FULL HOUSE a book put out yearly by the local paper The Omaha World Herald here in Nebraska....the Good Life!

There seems to be a fine line when adding a process to an image. Im still trying to find out what final composition makes me happy and sets me apart from you. Yesterdays train image was a tough one....i have been a month working on that for a Union Pacific Calendar Contest and i agree it was over exposed and slightly over processed. It is actually processed to hang in extremely glossy bright white framing which most don't see the image framed in, or "soft" in LR. Still love that you are paying close attention to my work.....your comments make me better. Call it a niche, art or whatever i see my competition everywhere i turn, we shot last week with amazingly talented top name photographers, I enjoyed the few moments sharing career accomplishments as the event transpired, someday i may take you up on your offer Ken.

Jim thanks for your suggestion on yesterdays image...i never thought of that, cool logic override tool i have not used, thanks!

Nebraska.....the good life, "two a days" start soon....I may get my pass this year, seems like a lot of work.....i tend to avoid that these days.

I was always on the ground but i did all the pilots meetings .....it's one of the aeronautical licenses i don't have.....just not thrilled with the crash landing part of the equation yet, my father...the best co-pilot a person could have often ganderd around these for years....always peaked his curiosity.

My last balloon image made it to number twelve in my best of......thanks for the wonderful comments, hope you enjoy this one a well.